Kinks 50th anniversary reunion: “Let’s see,” says Ray Davies

Ray Davies has responded to comments from his brother, Dave, who told Rolling Stone there was a possibility that the Kinks would play shows to celebrate their 50th anniversary.
Speaking to Uncut, Ray Davies said, “I’ve heard about the article but I haven’t read it. I saw Dave a couple of weeks ago and he mentioned the idea of doing a tour. I said, ‘Yeah, but you’re the guy who keeps saying it’ll never happen.’

Ray Davies has responded to comments from his brother, Dave, who told Rolling Stone there was a possibility that the Kinks would play shows to celebrate their 50th anniversary.

Speaking to Uncut, Ray Davies said, “I’ve heard about the article but I haven’t read it. I saw Dave a couple of weeks ago and he mentioned the idea of doing a tour. I said, ‘Yeah, but you’re the guy who keeps saying it’ll never happen.’

“I don’t understand where this new line, this new tack, has come from.

“But he’s a great player. Whenever I write a song, I think of how it could be improved by having him on it, and what his power chords would bring to it.

“I don’t know what next year will bring. Let’s see if he’s polite to me the next time we meet.”

That the two Davies brothers are talking and meeting once again is a major development in their relationship. For years it is believed they communicated only by fax and email, as neither was prepared to risk a potentially highly volatile meeting. In separate interviews with Uncut in 2012, the brothers admitted that they currently had no direct contact with each other whatsoever, and didn’t expect the situation to change. Ray even claimed to be unaware of where Dave lived.

The Kinks reissue Muswell Hillbillies on October 7, which will feature five previously unreleased songs as well as a smattering of alternate recordings and tracks taken from John Peel radio sessions on the BBC. Unreleased tracks include ‘Lavender Lane’, ‘Mountain Woman’, ‘Kentucky Moon’ and ‘Queenie’, in addition to a demo recording of the song ‘Nobody’s Fool’.

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